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Attractive workplace for all

These 102 cases, dating from 2006-2007, are examples of 'win-win situations', showing that it is possible to combine quality of work and employment with economic performance. They deal with key dimensions of the Lisbon strategy such as employability, increasing the labour market participation of underrepresented groups and people at risk of exclusion, pay, flexibility, and business creation and entrepreneurship. The involvement of the social partners at company and sectoral level is a significant aspect of the development of these policies and their outcomes.

Mars Austria, a global player in the food industry, has implemented a comprehensive competence development and career-planning system based on a family-oriented corporate culture, above-average wages, internal labour markets and long-term employment. The model combines ambitious aims with binding commitments and evaluation and monitoring procedures and therefore provides a stable and convenient framework for occupational mobility and career development.

Randstad, Germany’s biggest provider of temporary agency workers, has implemented an innovative training programme for its unskilled workers in response to customer demands and demographic requirements. The policy has been customised to take participants’ needs into account and benefits from the support and knowledge offered by recognised German training bodies.

The dedicated strokes unit of Falu hospital has a flexible system for scheduling work. There is a local working hours agreement which gives much flexibility and an electronic system is used for planning work schedules. This system meets the needs of the organisation while allowing employees to exercise considerable influence over their own working schedule.

Insurance company Axa France launched a general policy aimed at meeting economic challenges and improving efficiency. A main element of this policy is a collective agreement named CAP Métier. Implemented from 2003 to 2005, the measures introduced under this agreement facilitated occupational mobility within the company on a large scale. The programme allowed for the company to be restructured without the need for redundancies.

VT Shipbuilding is one of the last remaining major shipyards in the UK. It is currently facing the challenge of ensuring it has an adequately trained workforce to cope with a significant surge in warship orders from the UK Ministry of Defence. With many of its skilled workers approaching retirement age, the company has gone beyond the vocational training measures negotiated with its trade unions and has given support to a new workplace learning initiative.

Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery, part of Siemens AG, has developed partnerships with three schools in Lincoln. Along with work experience, the company has started a number of initiatives to help the schools and support their efforts to boost interest in engineering and manufacturing, particularly among girls and young women. To date the result has been positive. Schoolgirls have become involved in the company’s ‘Females into Industry Challenge’, have got valuable work experience and have applied for the apprenticeship programme.

Bosch Rexroth is a manufacturer of drive and control technology systems. To deal with fluctuations in demand, the company has organised its production process in autonomous teams, broadening the skills of the workforce to increase their availability. As a result, the company is able to match demand and capacity more efficiently.